Jordan
by Iresol
Summary: My sequel to Fathers and Brothers, BHD fic, there will be some violence, profanity and some hanky panky.
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note, Ok, so this is part two of my "Fathers and Sons" fic. The more I thought about it I had some loose ends, and I have been spending a lot of time with my sister and had a major idea for this storyline!  Hehehehehehehehehe. It is twisted. Also it's from Hoot's point of view, just to let you know, anyway, review and enjoy.

Tofu.

Veggies.

And that damn Soy Milk.

Since McKnight couldn't keep his cholesterol down, Diana and I suffered under those foods. The woman went insane. She cleaned out the whole fridge and I was eating that shit for the past two months.

It was not BBQ food.

How the hell could you tell when they were done?

Sanderson, Lambross and I were facing this problem. Sanderson rolled the tofu dogs to see if they had split on the grill. Nothing. Lambross looked closely at them, then at me, "Are they done?"

I shrugged and sipped my lite beer, nasty, "How the hell should I know?"

Sanderson looked around the people scattered around his backyard, "Where's Diana?"

"Called in," I told him, "When's your sister supposed to show up?"

Sanderson gave the spatula to Lambross and checked his watch, "Any minute. She wouldn't let me pick her up at the airport."

His sister Jamie had gotten divorced from her husband, a Naval Officer, and was heading down south to visit Sanderson. It'd been a while since he saw his sister or niece.

Lambross smacked the tofu dogs with the kitchen tool, sipped his lite beer, "Why?"

Sanderson rolled his eyes, "She thinks I'm gonna scare her friend away."

Friend?

Lambross and I shared the same look, "I know," Sanderson spat.

"Whom is her friend?" Lambross asked, making a face at the taste of lite beer.

Jose and Sam who were seated close with their girlfriends leaned closer, while they attempted a conversation with the women. Subtle.

"I don't know. The fool is living in North Georgia, he was on vacation or something when they met."

Hmmm, I then asked, "So….what? You gonna allow this man to violate your baby sista? Or ya gonna scare this one off too?"

"What do you think," Sanderson asked me, taking a sip of his Pepsi. Which was looking really good at that moment. Lambross grabbed a knife and began to poke at one of the tofu dogs, "Yo man, fifty bucks says you scare his ass away within….the day."

"A day! Come on, this is Sanderson we're talkin bout here, five hours tops."

Sanderson began to argue with us, then he spat, "Shut up." We all did as Humera made her way over. She sided up between Sanderson and I with her plate, Sanderson kissed her cheek. "I'm hungry…..what are those? Do they have pork in them?"

I patted her butt, "Sugar, those'a tofu."

Humera looked at me, "What?"

I kissed her other cheek, "Xactly."

Humera made a face of disgust, then said, "Well. Give me a hamburger then, love."

Lambross scooped up a Boca Burger, Humera looked at it as he dropped the thing on her plate. I kissed her temple as I spotted Eversman, "Well I'm gonna go mingle with tha Ranger boy."

"Traitor," Lambross told me.

I waved as Humera poked at the Boca Burger with her fork. Less then pleased. I made my way over to Eversman, who had arrived a few months ago with some Rangers for some training and leave. He held up a lite beer in a salute.

"Hey Hoot," he greeted.

I saluted him back with my beer, then asked, "How ya been? I ain't seen ya round that much."

The younger man nodded, "Yeah. I've been out on vacation with the guys. Just got back actually. I picked you and Sanderson up some beach Paraphernalia, and some Navy shirts for your fiancé."

I rolled my eyes, Diana was a pain, but then asked, "You gonna make it for tha weddin?"

Eversman stiffened and all but bowed as McKnight walked by, swearing about the lite beer. At the sight of me he turned, "Hoot! Where's my daughter?"

I pointed my beer in the direction of the hospital, "Got called in. Go have a Tofu dog."

He glared, then muttered something about his doctor switching the lab results on his way to the grill. Eversman shook his head and muttered, "Man. I still can't believe your going to marry his daughter. McKnight's going to be your Father-in-law."

I nodded, "The man's gonna turn me into a drinker."

Eversman looked up at me with wide eyes, it made me laugh, "Damn man, loosen up. Go have another watered down beer. You'll need like eight of em to get drunk."

"Don't you and your men have training tonight?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

McKnight made his way to the grill and Humera began to scold him for the food selection. Sanderson put his beer down, I watched him run over to the back of his house and hug his sister. She was five or six years younger, halfway through her twenties. Pretty. She had his blue eyes and blonde hair, just not his nose, tall too. Her daughter, Lily, only had her eyes. Her hair was dark tight ringlets, her skin was somewhere between brown and white. I had only met her father once, he pretty much said without words he only married Jamie because she was pregnant. Sanderson overheard, and that was the last time we got to see the man.

Lily spotted me, a grin came over her face, and she ran across the yard to me. I gave Eversman my beer and caught the four year old. Tossed her once in the air then kissed her cheek, I put her on my hip and flicked at one of her pigtails. Her mother and Sanderson glanced over at us, Jamie smiled then turned back to her brother.

She gave my cheek and kiss and wrapped her arms around my neck, "Hi Hoot. I missed you."

"I missed you too sweetheart, you gonna come visit me?"

She nodded then looked to Eversman and smiled, "Hi Matty."

Matty?

I looked to Eversman, who smiled at Lily, "Did you see your Uncle yet?"

Oh no. Nooooooo. A sick feeling filled me, "You know Lily?"

Lily nodded and swung her sandaled feet, "Uh-huh, he's dating mommy."

I looked at Eversman, then asked Lily, "Did you visit Auntie Humera yet? Go see her, she's over yonder at the grill." I set Lily down and pointed her towards Humera. I then asked Eversman, "You're datin Jamie?"

Eversman looked over at her and nodded, "Yeah. Isn't she great."

"NO!"

Eversman looked at me, stunned, "What?"

"You have any idea who her brother is?"

Eversman nodded, "She said he lives on base. Why?"

I pointed to her brother, "Sanderson."

It took him a minute to realize what I was pointing at. A horrified look came over his face, "No."

"Yeah," I told him.

Eversman shook his head, "No. No, her brother lives here."

"We're at Sanderson's house!" I shrieked.

Eversman looked over at Sanderson, then back to me. To which I added, "You do realize, she's just been through'a bad divorce? Almost lost'er child? What tha hell are ya datin her for?"

His next answer blew me away, "I love her."

Loved her? "Are you sayin that? Or your dick?"

It suddenly became clear to him, "That's why you, Sanderson, and all those Delta's flew up to Norfolk that weekend."

"You do realize that's his baby sista?"

"Your the ones who beat up her ex?"

I rolled my eyes, "Lets move past that, shall we?" But it was too late, Jamie turned and pointed to Eversman, Sanderson locked his gaze on the young Ranger, I'd seen that look before, "Run," I told Eversman.

Who looked at me, surprised.

Sanderson headed our way, pretty quickly.

"Run," I repeated.

Thank God Eversman listened, I grabbed Sanderson's arm and pulled the knife from his back pocket, "Careful man, there're witnesses."

Whether he didn't hear me or didn't care, he kept running after the young Ranger. Humera yelled after her husband to behave. Like that would happen, but Lambross came over to me, sipping his beer, "What's the problem man?"

I pointed to Eversman as he ducked under something Sanderson threw, "He's datin Jamie."

"No Shit!"

"Oh yeah, it gets better."

Lambross looked to me, "How?"

"He loves her."

Lambross laughed, then watched as Sanderson found a bat, "Looks like we're gonna be making a trip to the E.R. this time."

Yeah, I nodded, "Aight. You go start the car. I'll go make Diana a plate." I headed to the Buffet as someone yelled to Eversman to run faster.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank God the E.R. was slow, we didn't even have to wait the usual few hours.

Lucky for Eversman, Sanderson had only gotten a hold of a bat. At most he'd need a few stitches and maybe a cat scan.

The look on Diana's face was priceless when she walked into the exam room, clipboard in hand she glanced once at Eversman, then twice at me and closed the exam room door.

She then so eloquently tossed the clipboard across the room, it landed on the counter/sink/storage area. Next to the red biohazard trash bin. Then accusingly she looked to me, "You beat this poor man up? With a baseball bat?"

"No! Sanderson did," I told her.

Diana lifted both her eyebrows, then walked over to Eversman, she motioned for him to take his shirt off, "Is that true Mr. Eversman?"

He nodded, I glanced over from where I was seated to see the two bruises on his bare back. Diana caught both bruises quickly, "Turn and sit sideways, facing Hoot, please."

Eversman listened, she put the stethoscope things in her ears and the other end on his back, "Breathe in for me…..breath out……take a deep breath and hold it……..ok."

Diana pulled the things from her ears and asked, "Why did he attack you?"

"I don't know," Eversman told her, wincing as she began to press on the bruises with two fingers. Checking for broken ribs. Which hurt like a bitch, I knew. Diana looked to me as if I would know. So I told her, "He's datin Jamie."

Diana rolled her eyes and sighed, "Why can't you boys just get along?"

Eversman winced again, but he wasn't in near enough pain for broken ribs.

Diana then asked, "Does anything hurt other then your back?" She pulled out that blood pressure arm cuff and began to strap that on his arm. He shook his head, "No. I just have a little headache."

A look of concern came over Diana's face, "Did he hit you on the head with the bat?"

Eversman shook his head, "No. He threw someone's purse at me."

I swear she rolled her eyes.

After she did a few more medical things she stuck her head out of the exam room and yelled for someone named _Bob_. Diana then rubbed the back of her neck, "Did you want to press charges?"

Smartly Eversman shook his head, "No."

"Fantastic," she muttered, she then began to pop her fingers. Something she did when she was tired. Not bored, Diana loved to work in the E.R. she lived for blood and guts. She was just sleepy.

Diana flipped to the next page on the chart, then looked up at Eversman, "You live on base?"

He nodded.

Diana then looked to me, "Does he have the same insurance as you do?" Which we found out that unreported fights between the boys was not covered under the military's policy. So every time McKnight and I sent each other to the E.R. we had to pay, or anything un-work related was not covered. The little misunderstanding between Sanderson and Eversman would not be covered. If we reported it to the insurance company, they'd wanna see the police report, and there was none.

"Yeah," I told her.

Diana breathed out then stuck her head out the door, "Never mind!"

Eversman looked concerned for a minute, "I don't get a Cat Scan?"

Diana waved him off then shouted at someone else, "Yo! Ricardo! Get your ass up to Radiology, I have a head you can practice scanning."

Eversman looked to me, quite concerned. His eyes got round. It was kinda funny. I nodded towards Diana who still hung out the door, "Ain't she great?"

Unsure of what to say he just nodded.

Smart man.

Diana stood up as the Doctor, Wandle, and close friend of our small family came in the room. At the sight of me he sighed, "Hoot, damn! What'd her daddy throw at you t'day?"

"Nothing! I brought Eversman in," I told him.

Wandle took the chart from Diana and walked over to the counter, which he

hopped on, looking over the chart. Diana leaned back against the exam door and folded her arms.

Wandle nodded at whatever Diana had written on it. When he came to the second page he glanced up, "Your a Ranger?"

Eversman nodded.

"Ah fuck….aight," Wandle then looked to Diana, "Aight girl go get Ricky do a CT scan for practice. When he's done bring me the film and check his blood pressure. Make sure these here papers vanish, aight?"

Diana nodded, "Aight."

Wandle saluted me then strolled out, after he told Diana, "I'm gonna go take'a nap. Wake my ass up if someone comes in coden or if Lydia finally burns this place'er down."

My beautiful fiancé gave him a thumbs up.

Eversman looked to me, "Is he a real Doctor?" Diana peeked out the door, then looked to us, "Come on. Lets go upstairs. If we're lucky they won't be too busy and we'll have the whole floor to ourselves."


	3. Chapter 3

I drove Eversman home to his apartment building. Which was brick, tall, and full of single Ranger men.

I put the car in park and looked over at him, "Aight, you have a problem."

He just looked over at me.

So I continued, "T'night Sanderson and I have some shootin to do. Well leave round eight, it usually takes us bout three hours ta qualify. Now I ain't gonna help you past this, aight? Sanderson is my best friend. So it'd do ya good to get on his wife's good side. Bring her food."

Eversman stared, "You want me to bribe his wife?"

"It ain't briben. Hell everyone brings her food. Now get outta my car fore someone gets ideas."

Eversman sighed and unhooked his belt, he waved and closed the door with a slight slam.

**Later that night……**

I felt like shit for helping Eversman out. Even though Sanderson was being a pain in the ass, vaguely resembling a man I was forced to cohabit with. But I put up with him so I would get nookie.

But Eversman had put Sanderson in a particularly fowl ass mood.

Not only had he ignored every single traffic law on the trip to the range, I put a seat belt on. Something Diana had been on my ass to do more often. She would have been proud.

Sanderson put the car in a parking spot at about thirty miles an hour, my damn heart almost exploded. I reached over and grabbed his shirt. "Give me the damn keys fore I shoot your ass."

Sanderson pretty much threw the car keys at me.

"Look man, you can't control who yo sister falls in love with….maybe Eversman is what she needs. Ya know, a…..fling. You seen the way he looks at'er, like she's a goddess," I offered.

Sanderson quietly told me, "They eloped."

"Huh?"

"A week ago…..they eloped," he repeated.

Oh boy, well, that was a shocker.

But Sanderson wasn't finished, he squeezed the wheel tightly and continued, "They met a few days before the divorce was finalized, you know she was actually thinking of reconciling?"

I shook my head, but could believe it. She'd gotten married young, hadn't finished high school so she could stay at home with the baby. Which was partly why Sanderson was so protective of his baby sister.

"I thought she was finished with she caught that STD from him," I asked.

"Yeah well, he apparently had been talking things over with her. Going to therapy and shit." Sanderson growled.

Therapy, what a joke. It was like my Momma always said, _'Once a cheater, always a cheater. A leopard don't change his spots.'_

Very carefully I asked, "Maybe it's good she met Eversman."

Sanderson finally looked over at me, "She's hardly twenty five, a mother, just divorced a few weeks. The last thing she needs is to get married again."

"Or reconcile with the baby's daddy."

Sanderson narrowed his eyes at me.

"Look man, everything happens for'a reason, aight. Now, they're in love and all that good shit, you wanna push'er away by beatin him with'a bat, fine. Just don get all pissy with me, aight? They're married. _Married_. Whiln't you start encouragen her ta gett'er GED? Find out what Eversman intentions are, in a public area preferably."

Sanderson didn't say a word.

I pointed my finger at him and grabbed my bag from the floor, "You're startin to really gett'on my nerves. I don't I need another McKnight in my life."

He thought it over, I could see the wheels turning in that head of his. So I climbed outta the car and went to shut the door, with the keys in hand. When Sanderson moaned, "Why do we have to qualify again? We qualified last month."

With a grin I leaned down into the car, "Cause we got a new base commander darlin who obviously can't read the files from last month."

Sanderson made a face and fell back against the seat.

"See ya inside sweetpea," I told him.

**The locker room….**

I made my way through all the Delta's in our section of the locker room. Almost eighty men, minus Sanderson. I walked past two fully dressed guys ready to go qualify.

Some were in towels.

Some still had street clothes on.

While a couple were naked as a bear in the woods.

I noticed a few tattoos I hadn't noticed before, but didn't do a double take. I made my way to my locker and dropped my bag on the bench, carefully. Not wanting it to go off.

"Hey Hoot, you got some extra hollow tipped rounds?"

I didn't look up to see who asked, instead I nodded, "In my bag", concentrating on my locker, what the hell was my locker combination? Whoever it was opened my bag and dug through.

My clothes were in the damn locker.

So I asked, "You know what my combination is?"

He shrugged, "How the fuck should I know, ask Sanderson."

I groaned and fell against my locker, then shouted, "Mark!"

Across the locker room he answered me, "WHAT!"

"I Can't Get In My Locker!"

"Hold On Hoot! I'm Coming!"

Oh that sounded wonderful in a locker room. I fell down on the bench, watching my bag get dug through, once he found my box of rounds he stole a handful then patted my back. "Thanks man."

I grunted in response.

I heard Mark yell, "Yo Jeff, bring these to Hoot."

Fowler walked behind me, I knew because he always wore the fucking aftershave that smelled like church. So when I heard, "Bout the most action you're gonna get is in here after the wedding," I knew who to beat.

But I didn't get up, I wouldn't beat him over that, besides Diana got annoyed when I went to the E.R. twice in one night. Instead I told him, "Nah, my woman wasn't too fond of the locker room."

My comment drew a couple looks.

Randy opened his locker from behind me, "Maybe she just didn't have the right shower buddy?"

Now no one was hiding their interest. I was gonna have to kick his ass. But I wasn't about to talk shit about his woman, I felt sorry for her, she had to sleep with Fowler after all. So I commented offhandedly, "Least I have a shower buddy. Must get lonely in the showers by yo'self."

Randy shoved me, almost shoved my ass off the damn bench. Naturally I got up and spun around, I saw his first fist and blocked that, then kicked him in the stomach and sent him back into the lockers.

I hopped over the bench, just as he moved, catching his breath.

Fowler then came at me, his first fist caught me in the jaw, I ducked to avoid the other, and then shoved his half naked ass away from me. I punched him right in the face! Hurt my hand in the process.

Sanderson walked by us on the other side of the bench, "Come on Fowler, cut it out. I'm not driving you to the hospital."

While Fowler and I baited each other and then fought. It was just a game between us that commonly sent one of us to the infirmary or hospital. Fowler just rubbed me the wrong damn way.

Fowler flipped Sanderson off, had it been any other day, Sanderson would have let it go. But he was in the mood to fight. I watched as Sanderson dove over the bench at Fowler like a damn gazelle!

He hit Fowler once with his fist, and then began to bang his head into the locker. Numerous times.


	4. Chapter 4

There was no qualifying.

Instead we got sent home, all of us. All because of a small locker room misunderstanding. The old head of the base would have never sent us all home after a small fight.

Three hours early I walked into the kitchen from the garage, where Diana was seated on the kitchen counter waxing her legs.

She looked up, surprised, "What are you doing back so early?"

I dropped my duffel bag on the floor.

Closed the garage door, and walked over to her, I gave her a kiss and stared at her paper covered legs. "There was a small fight."

Diana narrowed her eyes, so I kissed her again, she broke the kiss and asked, "Were you and Fowler going at it again?"

Damn. She knew me too well.

She narrowed her green eyes, "Hoot."

"It was a lil fight," I assured her, I tried to kiss her but she put her hand on my chest and pushed me back. "So you and Fowler got thrown out of qualifying?"

I shook my head.

Diana patted her paper covered legs with one of her hands, those eyes held mine as she asked, "So why are you home so early?" As much as I wanted to I could not lie to her at that moment, so I told her, "We got everyone thrown out of the qualyfing."

She narrowed her eyes even further, then grabbed the top of one of the papers, I winced as she proceeded to rip it off. Ripping the hair out of her leg! It sounded like Velcro, it sounded painful. It scared me.

"And for what purpose? Or do I even want to know?" She threw the waxy paper strip in the trash, where a pink foil paper was, inwardly fear seized me. I knew exactly what had been wrapped up in that pink paper.

It had wings and it wasn't an angel.

Which made her sudden mood so clear to me.

"No," I told her.

"So it was just man bullshit then?" she demanded, as she ripped another strip off.

Again I winced.

Why the hell women insisted upon ripping their hair out was beyond me. What was wrong with razors?

She threw that strip of wax away and asked, "Did you get in trouble?"

"A lil." That wasn't a lie. So Sanderson, Lambross and I along with Fowler had to see the base shrink before we could qualify. That wasn't such a big deal.

She looked up at me, "Define _a little_."

I winced as she ripped another piece of that wax off, "Darlin, could you stop doin that? You know it freaks me out." As soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew I made a mistake. Her eyes were no longer narrowed. Instead they grew round. Every now and then she'd loose her mind. Like now.

She dropped down off the counter, with that wax and paper on her leg, she jabbed her finger in my chest. "Since I **_ freak_** you out so much I'll be upstairs. Enjoy the couch, _darlin_!"

Damn.

I watched her storm from the kitchen in a t-shirt and shorts. Even when she lost her damn mind she was sexy. I looked towards the heavens as she stomped up the steps and across the floor.

For a moment I swore I heard McKnight giggling from the living room. Since the TV wasn't on I was probably just imagining the man. I looked to the fridge and pondered whether I wanted a beer or two.

I knew better then to follow her ass upstairs and continue the argument, maybe if she weren't P.M.S.ing. But I had learned not to anger her at that time of the month. So I opened the fridge and saw no beer, McKnight drank all my beer. Perfect.

I closed the fridge and wondered if I wanted to walk down the street to Sanderson's for beer.

Yes I did, I turned and headed for the garage door, just as someone knocked on my front door.

There was only one man it could be. And I doubted he brought beer.

With a groan I walked outta the kitchen and saw McKnight **was** in the damn living room, I thought about smacking him upside the head. But starting two fights in one night was not a good idea. Especially with Diana in such a fowl mood.

Instead I flipped him off.

I made it to the front room and still heard the snickering bastard.

The thought of shooting him with the shotgun in the closet crossed my mind. Instead I opened the door to see Sanderson with his pillow. He looked at me, "My crazy pregnant wife called me childish and told me to sleep on the lawn."

I let him in the house, "You better have beer."

He shook his head, "We don't have beer at my house, it's evil or something. Pork too."

I had forgotten Humera was Muslim. Oh well. I closed the door and told him, "I call dibs on the couch."

Sanderson turned and looked at me, "Trouble in paradise?"

I told him three letters. Three letters that explained everything, they would explain absolutely any behavior in women, "P.M.S."

He winced, then glanced over his shoulder towards the living room, "Is someone laughing?"


	5. Chapter 5

My back hurt.

Diana intentionally burnt my breakfast.

McKnight drank my beer.

I didn't get to shoot the night away.

And I didn't sleep because McKnight was snoring down the hall, so Sanderson and I moved out to the garage and slept in the jeep.

Extra cargo room my ass.

While I ate my burnt waffles to prove she hadn't won, which she really did because they were nasty, and not just because they were all natural, and both butter and margarine had been outlawed. But I forced the whole-wheat bricks down with a smile. While Sanderson wrote a nasty letter to the makers of Jeep, voicing our outrage about the alleged trunk space they always talk about on their commercials.

To top my morning off I had to drink decaf with skim milk.

No sugar.

Sugar was also outlawed until Mr. Peace Love and Understandings cholesterol went down under four hundred.

When Sanderson and I headed out to go to the Shrink that we were all supposed to see since we started a small melee, we got to watch the neighbors butt-crack while he worked in his garden. The most action I had seen all damn day. Not to mention I had to take a shower alone. It was the first time in four years I cut myself shaving.

The day did not look good.

Also the fact that Sanderson was locked out of his house, Humera was at a lady doctor with Lily and Jamie. So he had to wear a pair of my jeans , which he had to have a belt since they bagged a little, and a t-shirt. The man wore his own damn shoes.

We arrived a little late since we stopped for beer.

So while we waited with Lambross in the waiting room while Fowler went into see the Shrink first. I was nursing my second beer when Fowler came out. Smiling like the dickhead he was.

The older gentleman shrink, a red headed man with glasses in a navy suit. He looked between the three of us, "Who is next?"

Lambross was seated reading a Cosmo, "I'll go after one of you, I'm not done reading."

I looked to Sanderson who absolutely hated shrinks.

So I got up, "Aight Doc, lets get this bitch over with." To say the Doc was mildly surprised was an overstatement. He held the door to his office open. I took a sip of my beer and walked in.

With a quick look at my beer he closed the door.

There was a desk, a couch with a chair next to it, and books on the wall.

I took a seat in the chair and put my feet on the couch. Then looked at him and dared him to move me.

Again the Doc was silent, he took a seat on the end of the couch.

In his hand was a manila folder and a clipboard. Probably my army file. Without opening it he asked, "I don't allow drinking in my office." He then reached out.

I finished my beer and gave him the empty bottle.

Didn't wanna waste it.

He took the bottle and put it on the floor by his feet, then asked, "Norm? Or do you prefer Hoot?"

"I don't care," really I didn't, he could call me whatever the hell he wanted.

The Doc opened my file and then looked at me, "Hoot? That is a very interesting nickname."

When I didn't volunteer any information, he then told me, "This isn't the first time you have been in trouble for fighting with Sergeant Fowler. Do you harbor any animosity toward him?"

What the hell?

Already the man was annoying me.

So I crossed my arms and leaned back in the chair, "No. We're lovers."

He did a double take, then laughed, when I didn't laugh he stopped. He cleared his throat, then asked, "How long have you been in the military?"

"You got my file."

Ok, so I was being a little bit difficult, but I was gonna make him earn his paycheck.

He closed my file, annoyed.

So I clarified things for him, "Look Doc, I am in no mood for any mind games. Aight? I got like three hour's sleep in the back of'a jeep last night. My damn woman burnt my breakfast. Her father drank my beer. I didn't getta go shootin last night. This ain't the day to play with me."

Doc looked at me, then asked, "Why did you attack Sergeant Fowler?"

Finally, a question I would answer, "We were baitin each other. He shoved me so I hit him. It just elevated from there."

"What were you two arguing over?"

"My woman," I muttered.

The Doc was confused, "Who are you seeing?"

"You writtin a book?" I asked.

He pursed his lips, then flipped through my file, when he didn't find what he was looking for he closed it. "How long have you been seeing your girlfriend?"

I had to think, "Bout four or five years. I ain't kept track."

That actually surprised the Doc, who asked, "Has it been a monogamous relationship?"

What the fuck kinda question was that? Oh he was gonna have a damn field day with Lambross. "Yeah. She's the only woman I've slept with in that time."

He nodded, why, I didn't know.

Then the Doc asked, "Is she in the Army?"

I shook my head.

"Have you ever hit your girlfriend?"

"No," I told him firmly. So firmly he didn't question that answer. So he asked, "Are you planning on marriage?"

"In a few days."

Doc looked surprised, "Oh?"

"Your not invited," I told him.

The Doc wasn't thrilled with my remark, he then asked, "Are you looking forward to marriage?"

"Yeah, I am. Is that all Doc?"

"No. I want to talk about your father."

I narrowed my eyes, first I wanted to know how the hell he knew about that, "What do you know about my father?"

Doc opened my file, he flipped through, then said, "About two months ago a alert was posted up at the gates to forbid him in base, and his number was blocked from your phone."

What?

Then it hit me, so that's what McKnight did, no wonder I hadn't gotten any calls from him. I'd have to buy McKnight a cheeseburger.

"So what. It's a free country," was my answer.

Doc then said, "It's a little extreme."

I shrugged in response.

"Don't you want a relationship with your father?" Was his next million-dollar question.

I didn't even have to think about my answer, "Hell no."

He leaned back against the couch and crossed his legs, "Do you want children?"

"Yes."

He then asked me, "Do you want a relationship with your children?"

All right, I could see where this was going, so I leaned forward and put my feet on the ground, "Yeah, but I ain't gonna abandon my children or my wife. I'll die fore I leave any of them."

"Do you know why he left?"

I shook my head, "Naw, but you didn't ask if I cared, an I don't." I couldn't tell if he was surprised or disgusted, and I didn't care, "you done yet, Doc?"

With a glance at his clipboard, "Yes."

Great, I stood up and asked, "Will ya sign off so I can qualify?"

The Doc nodded, "Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

Paper bag in hand I peeked in the kitchen from the garage, luckily it was noon.

McKnight was seated at the kitchen counter eating a soy burger on whole wheat with carrot sticks and water.

He glanced up at me as I looked around, then I asked, "Where's Diana?" Her car was in the driveway.

McKnight jerked his head towards Sanderson's house while he ate a carrot stick, "Reading the ultrasound for that crazy pregnant woman Sanderson is married to. Why?"

"I gotta a gift for you," I told him, quickly walking in the kitchen. At the sight of the McDonalds bag McKnight perked up. He looked at it as if it were gold.

I put the bag down on the counter, he quickly snatched it and looked inside, then up at me, stunned and speechless.

"Hurry up and eat it fore Diana gets back," I encouraged.

McKnight reached in and pulled out a cardboard box that contained the Big Mac, he grabbed a few fries and ate them, savoring the salty grease. He opened the box and took a large sniff of the burger. "What are you thanking me for?"

"Keepin my father outta my life." I grabbed his untouched sandwich and headed out of the kitchen, I had qualifying in under an hour.

Lucky for me I had all my locker possessions in my duffel bag, which was on the living room floor. I went into the small living room and knelt over my bag. Which was the size of the coffee table.

I unzipped it and pulled my shooting clothes out.

Green pants with dozens of pockets within pockets, some pockets still had bullets in them.

Big Mac in hand McKnight made his way in the living room, where he plopped down on the couch, "Anything to help."

I pulled out one of my grey ARMY shirts out, then as Diana called them, my "Combat Stompers" which made scuffs on the floor, so they got packed in the bag.

"How'd the visit with the shrink go?"

I made a face, then dug around for my ankle holster, "He signed off so I getta qualify t'day."

McKnight took a huge bite from his burger and chewed it thoughtfully, watching while I put my ankle holster on the duffel bag, along with my thigh holster.

"When is your mother flying over? She's coming to the wedding?"

I nodded, "Yeah. We're gonna pick her up on our way through Atlanta Friday, I think she'll ride with Albert, Momma ain't never liked my drivin."

McKnight shrugged, took another bite of burger, "Well I don't like your driving."

With my arm elbow deep in the bag I told him, "Eat your damn burger."

The garage door closed.

We both froze, well I froze, McKnight shoved that burger in his mouth like a damn snake. It was disgusting. It was like watching the discovery channel. He ate the damn thing in a matter of seconds.

Then Diana yelled, "**_Whose bag is that!_**"

She appeared in the living room, looked between the two of us, then pointed to her father whose cheeks looked like a chipmunks. "Do you know how much cholesterol is in that?" She demanded of him as he swallowed it, little by little.

McKnight held up two fingers.

She shook her head, "Two? No! Not even close!"

So McKnight then held up three fingers.

I swore from the look on her face she was going to kill him. She then looked in the bag, "What about these fries? They are a heart attack waiting to happen Daddy!"

So I defended him, "Darlin, its'a fat-free burger."

She looked to me, probably wondering if she could murder me and get away with it. But McKnight had finished the burger and cleared his throat, "Could I have the fries."

She glared at him, "Bend over."

I pulled my gloves from the bag and set them on top of the clothes. All my shit was out, so I grabbed it and headed for the bathroom down the hall.

McKnight's bathroom, while Diana threatened to have his stomach pumped.

The two could be heard from in the bathroom, even with the door closed.

I set my stuff down on the sink and separated the holsters from the clothes, then looked around McKnight's bathroom. Meticulous. You could have eaten off the floor it was so clean.

The shower curtain was ironed.

The sink and floor glittered practically, there were no soap stains or toothpaste on the mirror.

It made me sick.

But I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it on the hamper lid. Then began to unhook my belt when Diana came storming down the hall, she opened the bathroom door and slammed it behind her, in a mood to fight.

P.M.S. turned her into a sexy raving psychotic.

She poked me in the chest and began to screech, "Are you trying to kill my father! What on earth would even _possess_ you to give him that greasy food of death!"

I just stared as she ranted about his cholesterol and stuff. In wasn't really paying attention, she just looked really cute in her jeans and wife beater t-shirt. I couldn't stop myself from staring at her chest which was her fault since she had on a red bra under her shirt, which would show the top when she gestured the right way.

"**Hoot!**"

I jumped and met her eyes, "I'm sorry, I promise I won't do it again." A long time ago I would have argued. But now I had learned I could have a better conversation and had had better conversations with terrorists, then Diana on her period. So I just said those magic words.

Which didn't help, she poked me again and I tried really hard not to get more turned on.

"Stop staring at my boobs! I am all bloated and…..icky! You are not getting _ any_ until Friday at least! So keep your eyes above my neck!"

Damn. She was being irrational too, so I told, "I love you baby." Then my eyes glanced down, but back up, so I added, "Sides, you look really good in them jeans."

Which was apparently the wrong thing to say.

She glared at me, "_These Are My **Fat ** Jeans!_"

She looked ready to kill me.

I had to be very careful about what I said next, anything could set her off. So I told her, "Baby I'm confused…..I don't know what to say."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Hoot." She rested her hands on her hips but when I reached for her she smacked them away.

"Why don't we go do somethin t'night. We could go down to the river an…." I concluded for her, she sighed, "Hoot do you ever not think about sex?"

I had to think about that question.

Diana shook her head, "Well it doesn't matter, you're not getting any until my period stops so go take Sanderson to the river and woo him."

I made a face, "He ain't got perky boobs. Or pink toe nails. Or nice smellin hair."

She laughed.

Thank God, it was about time. So I stepped closer to her but she put her hands on my chest, "Hoot, not now."

"Fine," I told her, but didn't move.

She then pushed me back and told me, "I have to go pick up our marriage license. So behave yourself. And don't shoot at Fowler again, aight?"

Fine! But I didn't tell her that, instead I asked, "If I agree to your demands, can I stick my hands in your shirt?"

"Behave yourself Hoot," she told me as she walked out, then yelled after me, "Stop staring at my ass!"

"Make me!" I yelled after her, then quietly added, "Please."


	7. Chapter 7

Back to the shooting range.

Not that I minded, I loved the range. It was fun. Qualifying was always. Or it coulda had something to do with the blonde instructor who had a body that put Pam Ander5son to shame, and she could shoot and tell me what a catalytic converter was, and where it was located, and what it did.

She let us use whatever the hell ammo we wanted so long as we qualified with every weapon required.

Sanderson drove us to the range, but her red corvette was not parked in the handicap space like usual.

But I didn't think anything of it, instead Sanderson and I headed in the indoor range while he told me all the B.S. he had made up and told the shrink before he was kicked out of the office.

The man was a genius.

"And then, the final nail in the coffin was when I told him I had married a Arab man and we adopted eight Japanese children so they would all become Doctors and lawyers and support us, so we could retire and live in Key West." Sanderson explained, hefting his bag further up his arm, reaching for the door, but it opened.

I was about to congratulate him on his accomplishment, but the man who had flung the door open glared out at us, a very unhappy Delta, Larenz. A black man about my age from Baltimore. Clean-shaven but he wore his hair pulled back in a ponytail.

He had a nametag on his chest, **Gibson**.

I stared at my nametag on his chest while Sanderson asked, "What's up?"

Larenz held the door open for us, "**WE** have a new _shooting instructor._ And since we didn't wear our jackets or camo tops with our name tags, we have to wear name stickers."

I stared, Larenz shoved a sheet of stickers with two different names. "It's ninety fucking degrees out Larenz, why the hell would we wear more then we have to? Who the hell is he?"

Larenz threw his hands up, "I don't know, the old man is like five feet tall and some old Army Vet. He's in there confiscating anything that is not a glock. I hate glocks. I haven't fired a glock since I went to Baghdad."

"What? Are you saying we are not allowed to shoot anything that is not a glock?" Sanderson cried, his bag was loaded up with goodies. Mine too.

Larenz nodded, "Umhmm. So pick a name tag and meet us in the range."

I took the sheet while Sanderson stared in horror.

**Rodriguez** and **Lambross**.

I looked to Sanderson, "Who do you wanna be?"

He looked down at the stickers, "You look more like a Lambross, gimme Rodriguez."

I gave him Jose's nametag and put Pete's on my chest.

Our first act of disobedience towards out new instructor, who I was horrified to see when I walked into the indoor range. It was the nosey old man with bad wig from the hospital.

Behind me Sanderson groaned, "Shit."

And he recognized us both, then looked at out name tags, "Your late."

I was tempted to tell him to _fuck off,_ but I didn't wanna make a bad impression, or get Lambross in trouble for mouthing off to a higher ranking officer. Lambross who was seated in a chair with Sam's nametag on his chest, was speaking in Spanish to Jose who had planted his less then happy ass on the floor.

Sanderson and I put out bags down then found a seat.

Apparently there was some form of meeting. Chairs had been lined up in front of the range that just called out to me. I didn't listen as he was yammering on about how the targets worked, like I cared.

I stared out at the long tracks that ran along the ceiling, movable targets.

At least 200 feet back, it was a huge building.

The range was maybe ten feet away.

I was not the only one who had dozed off or was ignoring the man, because he pulled out a fucking whistle and blew it. I thought Paddy was gonna have to be peeled off the damn ceiling. Sanderson jumped in the seat beside me, muttering, "I'm gonna shove the whistle down his fucking throat."

"Amen," I muttered.

The old man continued yapping, "Now, I want each of you to put a round in the chest and head. A round. Then bring your target back for me to look at, then we'll put it out a hundred feet, and bring it back for me to look at…" A hand flew up beside me.

This was just plain old bullshit, I was not gonna shoot two rounds and bring the damn target back for him to inspect.

The old man looked to Sanderson, who asked, "Why don't I just put three rounds in the target from here and call it a day?"

The man, who was wearing a pair of khaki pants with a top that really needed to be buttoned the rest of the way up, crossed his arms and asked Sanderson, "Do you know what the most dangerous thing in the world is?"

I stared, then looked at Sanderson, and muttered, "My girlfriend armed while she's got her damn period."

Sanderson grinned then shook his head.

A couple of the Deltas muttered amongst themselves, the man then told us, "The most dangerous thing in the world is thinking you know more then you really do."

I just stared at him.

Behind me someone asked, "What is this a fucking philosophy course?"

The man began to yammer on about something else, I groaned and put my feet up on the chair in front of me. It was empty. This was the worse damn qualifying I had ever been to.

Then the old man blew his fucking whistle again.

Sanderson was just getting more and more pissed off.

The Old Man then told us, "Ok, I have three rules for my range. One, there will be absolutely no swearing."

What the fuck?

Sanderson raised his hand and I pulled it back down.

The old man continued louder since we were getting louder, "There are many other words in the English language you can use other then vulgarities."

He finally had to blow his whistle again, Lambross raised his hand but Jose pulled it down.

"Rule number two, you will address me as Mr. West."

Mr.?

Oh fuck no, I stood up and asked, "You're a civilian?"

He looked at me and shook his head, "No. I am a retired Marshal and former Army Sergeant."

The guys were speaking amongst themselves again, Larenz who was seated behind me stood and asked, "Are you enlisted in the Military or on the Police Force?"

Again the man shook his head, "No."

"How did you get this job?" Larenz asked off the bat. The old man or Mr. West told him, "Your new base commander trained under me and wanted the best."

Oh wonderful.

Then he blew his damn whistle, ok, I was gonna shove the damn thing down his throat. But Sanderson grabbed my pants and pulled my ass back down in the chair before I got too far. I looked to him, "Are you listening to this shit?"

Larenz leaned between Sanderson and I and whispered, "Man, if we plan this right, we could make his death look like a suicide."

The homicidal suggestion was looking good when he told us, but better when Mr. West named his third rule.

"Only guns I approve may be used in qualifying."

Then the sadist named his next demand.

We had to line up along the line alphabetically.

Which took some time since we al had different names name tags. After checking out own nametags and everyone else's, we managed to line up somewhat alphabetically.

Then he had the nerve to go through and check our tags!

So instead of moving we would just change our nametags with one another. So I was no long **Lambross**, instead I was **Jefferson**.

Mr. West was less then pleased.

While he went over how to hold and operate the weapons, I stared at the ceiling and counted tiles. Or I would have been very unpleasant.

Larenz who was on my left leaned over, he whispered in my ear, "Gimme some hollow points."

I just moved my head, I looked over at him, "What makes you think I have some?"

He just stared at me.

I gave up, "Fine. How many?"

"One."

So I reached down into my pant leg pocket and found all my bullets, there were dozens and dozens of bullets. I ran my thumb over the tips till I found a hollow tipped one. Then I gave it to Larenz.

Who opened the slide on his gun, took out the bullet and put it in his pocket, he slid the bullet I gave him, which looked normal except for the dip in the tip which would cause a hell of a lot more damage upon impact. Almost silently he closed the slide.

"All right Gentleman, you may fire one round."

I was gonna fucking die, but I fired one, just one. But I hit my target right between the eyes, beside me Larenz simply destroyed the entire paper target with the hollow point.

Mr. West came running over, he looked at what was left of the target, shreds of paper. Then looked at Larenz, "Give me your clip."

He did, but there were just regular rounds in it.

One by one Mr. West emptied every last bullet out and inspected the tips. Down the line someone shouted, "Mr. West, it was my fault, I sneezed."

I couldn't hide my grin.

I apparently looked guilty, because West looked to me and told me, "Empty your pockets."

"What?"

"You heard me Jefferson, empty your pockets!" He then held his hand out for my possessions.

Fine, I holstered my weapon then began to empty out all my pockets. My change from my front pockets and car keys. My wallet from my back pocket. My leather man and knife, about sixty different bullets, a small case of oil, a rag, a house key, a can of mace, three extra clips, one full of hollowed tips, and of course some condoms since Diana had this thing about me in camo pants.

Mr. West just stared at me like I was nuts.

Larenz looked at the condoms and grabbed them, reading the back of the packet.

Then Mr. West dumped all my stuff back in my arms, but kept my wallet, he flipped it open, then looked at me, "Mr. Gibson?"

While Larenz and Jose helped me put all my stuff back, though half my bullets were missing and I only got one clips back, I didn't even see the condoms again. Mr. West then told me, "I'll dock ten points off your score, Mr. Gibson."

He held my pissed off gaze.

As if he expected me to argue or something, I wasn't going to plea with the man, so I told, "I don't give a fuck, take ten more."

So he did.

Then he had us give him our wallets, and then he lined us up alphabetically. Since Garrett had broken both his arms and his left legs in four places in a water skiing accident that put me between Fowler and Gustafson.

Which just made the day more memorable.


	8. Chapter 8

I got home to find McKnight's car gone, Sanderson luring Eversman into his car a few houses down, and my garage door was open, which meant Diana was home.

I made sure I took off my books and stripped out of my paint covered cloths.

After the qualifying from hell, we all went to the paintball fields and covered the Rangers training there with paint.

Life was good.

Except for the pink paint in my ear.

I stripped down to nothing, dumped the paint-covered cloths in the washer, then the basket of darks. I poured in some laundry soap and shoved the cloths in till they all fit. Then closed the lad. And Diana told me I couldn't do laundry.

I then crept in the kitchen and made my way upstairs, and in the shower before she found me. I hopped in and began to wash the paint from my hands, neck, hair and ear. Hopefully before she found out _why_ I was an hour late.

No sooner did I get some of the paint from my hands, did her voice come through the small house, "**_Hoot!_**"

Quickly I poured shampoo in my hair and began to scrub the hell out of my scalp, "_What!_"

It took only a few moments for her too find me and demand, "Did you start a load of laundry?"

I hesitated, "Uh-huh."

"Damn Hoot! I told you just to leave your sweaty cloths on the floor in front of the washer. You do laundry the same way my father does laundry and nothing gets clean."

Had I not been a hour late I would have flashed her and invited her in the shower, but if she knew I was out shooting at Rangers with paintballs instead of helping her make last minute wedding plans, she might try to drown me. So I agreed, "You're right, I'm sorry darlin."

She was quiet.

Too quiet.

"Hoot?"

Damn, she was about to chew me a new ass. "Yeah baby?"

"Why are you taking a shower?"

There was still a chance I could lie my way out. I scrubbed my palms, my ears, and feet trying to get the paint off, "Cause I'm dirty."

"Uh-huh," she opened the curtain and looked in at me, narrowing her eyes. "I knew there was something wrong when you didn't flash me as soon as you came in the house. And when you did a load of your own laundry instead of just leaving it on the bedroom floor for the laundry fairy."

"I love you baby," I quickly told her.

She cocked an eyebrow then reached in and grabbed my ear, rubbing it with her thumb, "Paint?"

Maybe I could still lie my way out. But when she finished I knew there was no hope.

"And since when do you care about being dirty? I have to haul your naked ass into the shower most the time!"

God I hated P.M.S. No wonder Jesus was a single man.

"You went out shooting paintballs instead of coming home to help?"

No lie could save me now, so I could either try beg for mercy or try and woo her.

"Are you going to be this helpful when we're married?"

Ah hell, she couldn't get any more pissed off then she was now. So I ran my hand through my hair and got as much shampoo suds as I could, then flung them at her. Not only getting her wet, but soapy. And she had a white shirt on.

Diana fell silent, she wiped the suds off her shirt. Then looked up at me with those green eyes of hers. It was almost impossible to keep a straight face. She looked to the toilet.

She'd flush it, just to be cruel.

Before she could I reached out and grabbed her jeans, she let out a scream and grabbed for the sink, but I had pulled her halfway to the shower before she could grab anything.

"Hoot! I swear to God if I get wet your going to be in so much trouble!"

I wrapped my wet arms around her waist and buried my lips in her neck, then whispered in her ear, "How much trouble?"

She looked up over her shoulder, "I'll think of something fitting."

"Well I ain't got nookie for days, I've been banished from the bedroom, an I had ta sleep in the back'a the jeep las night with Sanderson, an he kicks. So sweetheart, it can't get worse."

"Oh yes it can," she warned.

And she was serious! Did I wanna risk it? Did I? I had to think **really** hard, or I could start begging.

I didn't feel like begging.

But I didn't have to, she sighed, "Fine." She then kicked her shoes off and stepped back in the tub. She turned around and pushed me back into the wet shower wall, through the falling water. Diana closed the curtain behind her and jabbed her finger in my chest, "No Nookie."

She reached up and wiped some shampoo from my forehead, "Hoot, what am I going to do with you?"

I could name a couple things, but I could also see she was not in the mood for nookie. Something was wrong. She never gave up so easy when she could punish me. Even when the beast known as menstrual possessed her body.

"What's wrong darlin," I asked her, I let her pull my head under the water and wash the shampoo from my hair.

It was then she told me, she musta thought that I wouldn't hear her, but while she ran her fingers through my hair. Along my scalp. Which felt like a damn good massage, she softly told me, "Randy started working at the hospital the other night."

Which would more then account for the fowl ass mood she had been in. I stepped back and looked down at her, while she continued to run her fingers though my hair. I took her hand from my hair, my mood suddenly no longer horny. No longer was I concerned with getting nookie. Instead I asked, for clarification, she might have known more then one Randy. "Randy? Your ex? The same Randy that your father shipped off to Nepal for kicks?"

Diana just nodded.

"An why didn't you bring this up sooner?"

Diana completely changed the subject, kinda. She then asked me, "Can you tell when I am having my period?"

She looked at me with those green eyes that looked more hurt then anything. I figured out shithead was the cause of her sudden mood swing. Even her lack of libido, even though I never got nookie when she had her period, she never felt the need to stop teasing me. I was never before thrown out of the bedroom. She got her kicks outta torturing me now that I thought of it.

While I couldn't lie to her, I had to be very careful bout what I said, "Yeah. You leave pink wrappers in the trashcan. Why?"

She shook her head, "Nothing. How'd your shooting go?"

Shooting? She knew it was qualifying. But I let it go, "I scored negative twenty two."

Her eyes grew round, "What?"

I shrugged, "I was one'a the higher scorers t'day."

She narrowed her eyes, "Mrs. Boobs wasn't there was she?"

I was almost offended, "No she wasn't, but that ain't the reason we all failed." Diana crossed her arms, "Oh?"

I nodded and reached out, she let me hook my fingers in her jean belt loops and pull her to me. But she kept her arms crossed. That bothered me.

"We gotta new instructor who wouldn't let us have any fun."

She lifted both her eyebrows, "You mean he wouldn't let you shoot whatever gun and ammo you wanted?"

She was too smart for her own good.

Which was why I loved her so much, I leaned forward to kiss her but she moved her head so I kissed her cheek. Whatever the man said or did to her was obvious, why I didn't notice it before was a damn mystery, but it wasn't going to continue.


	9. Chapter 9

She sent me out to mail bills, pick up dry cleaning, and a couple other menial things. I also had to pick up dinner. I left the base with Sanderson seated under an oak tree with a BB-gun. I returned to see him under the tree with both Humera and Jamie yelling at him.

It was amusing to see a very round Humera smacking Sanderson while Jamie waved her hands around in the air. Both were quite vocal. But Eversman was still up in the tree.

Across the street from them a small crown of children had been watchin when I left, when I came home their fathers had joined them in watchin the show.

I was on my way down the street when I spotted McKnight's car, it was not in our driveway. He was out on the roof helping lay a new one, so I got to see his butt crack as I drove by. Another thing I'd rather not have seen. Or any of the other butt cracks from the seven other guys on the roof. All had a beer in hand so it was apparently going well.

I got home.

Took out all the dry cleaning, and three bags of Chinese food. I wasn't about to argue with the man. If he wanted to sell me three bags of food for _twelve dollar_ I wasn't about to argue.

Only when I got outta the car did I notice one parked in front of my house.

A black Mercedes.

With black tinted windows, so black it looked like a damn mirror.

Someone walked out of my house, I looked from the car to the large man. He came on over and reached out to shake my hand, "Hey there, they sent me out to help with the food. I'm Raphael, Lily's husband."

Lily! Ah, the car suddenly made sense. I gave him two bags of food and shook his hand, "Hoot, Diana's fiancé."

He winked, "Lucky man. She was at our wedding, the maid of honor I think, she was just as twisted as my wife that day."

Raphael was about my height, some form of Mediterranean, his dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail. But he was not the typical mob poster boy. While he looked like he stepped out of Italy, he had jeans on. A grey shirt with tattoos along both arms. A goatee.

However he also had a shoulder holster on with a 44. magnum.

"You staying on base?" I asked, leading Raphael up into the garage.

Raphael shook his head, "No. We rented a cabin, we actually just got here, she came over to say hi and go."

I had heard that before.

I looked over my shoulder at him and held open the front door, "Really? How long's it been?"

"An hour," he told me.

I laughed. Oh how I laughed, he then told me, "Oh don't laugh. You're marrying the woman who went through college with my wife. My wife once spent three hours picking out a red shirt to match a pair of black pants. Do you know how many shades of red there are?"

I closed the door behind me, "There are more'n one?"

He nodded, "From what she screeched at me, there are apparently fourteen."

Fourteen.

I stared at him, "You serious?"

He nodded, "I know. I got as far as three. Red. Dark red and light red."

I lead Raphael into the empty kitchen as he yelled for both Lily and Diana in Italian, I could only pick out those two words. I hung the dry cleaning on the coat rack while he unpacked the food.

Now that I thought about it I vaguely remembered Diana telling me about guests today, but she had told me in bed, and I wasn't really paying attention. So I asked, "What time did you leave this morning?"

"Oh God, we left Sicily about three, landed in South Georgia about noon, then got here in four hours. Give or take."

I turned and stared at him, "Sicily? Italy?"

He nodded, then smelled a white box and opened it, seeing beef lo'mein.

"How the hell'd you get through customs so quick?"

Raphael looked puzzled then caught on, "Oh! We didn't go through customs. I flew the jet."

He said it so calmly, as if everyone had a jet.

"You a pilot," I asked.

He shrugged, "Not of big planes. Just those Leer jets."

Lily and Diana came down the stairs, when they came in the kitchen both had huge smiles. It was the best thing in the world to see her smile again. Diana winked at me as her blonde friend came in the kitchen, goosed her husband, then went in out fridge as if it were her own and pulled out some beers and a Pepsi.

Diana took a seat at the counter, "Hoot, this is Lily's husband Raphael. It's his first trip to the states."

I looked over at Raphael.

Somehow I didn't believe that, but Lily handed Raphael and myself a beer, she then asked, "Where are you two honeymooning?"

I opened the beer and tossed the cap in the trash, "Darlin, where we honeymoonen?"

"Jamaica"

That was a pleasant surprise, I looked over at her with a grin, "Really?"

Diana was lying on the kitchen counter, digging through all the white take out boxes of food. I could see down her shirt. But she replied, "Uh-huh. A week, so I figure I'll get one day of Scuba Diving out of that?"

"A whole day? Ain't the ocean the same damn thing all over?" I asked.

Diana laughed and shook her head, "Sweetheart, while I go Scuba Diving you can go drinking."

Lily grabbed a box of food, a smile upon her face, "Don't feel bad Boo, we vacationed in Paris, I saw the Eiffel tower. On the way to and from the airport."

I looked to Raphael who grinned, I gave him a high five.

**Later that evening…..**

Lily and Raphael ate dinner with us, then we watched a movie. The fucking movie was in Italian so Diana translated it for me, from on my lap.

I didn't care. It was the first time in a couple days she had been on my lap. But I would have to start watching more movies from Europe, full frontal nudity. Those people were onto something.

Even McKnight thought so, he joined us a little later in the evening.

He had been to the wedding of Lily and Raphael. Apparently it had been some big shindig over in Sicily a few years back.

I was so out of the damn loop.

But Diana was in a far better mood.

Which was made evident when McKnight headed into his bathroom for a shower, I was innocently doing the dishes, she came up behind me. Wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me. I stopped scrubbing a plate and glanced over my shoulder at her, just to make sure she wasn't crying. Instead she had a big smile, she stood on her toes and kissed me.

"Whats that for?" I asked.

She kissed me again and asked, "You love me?"

Puzzled I replied, "Course I love you."

I turned the water off and grabbed a dishtowel. She leaned against the counter as I asked, "This got something to do with your ex at the hospital?"

Diana smiled, then asked, "Am I difficult when I have my period?"

I lied, "No."

She pursed her lips.

So I added, "You always difficult."

She then rolled her eyes and turned to walk out of the kitchen, but I grabbed her arm and gently tugged on it, she let me pull her back and towards me. I wrapped both my arms around her waist and pulled her against me. A few strands of brown hair had fallen out of her ponytail which caught my attention, "What's wrong, darlin?"

She made a face but began to trace her fingers over my shirt, over my chest.

Completely ignorant of what she was doing to me. Until she finally told me, "A couple days ago Wandle got in trouble at work. He's on suspension for a week. So the hospital had to find another Doctor with his qualifications and Randy was the closest."

I listened to her, not saying a single word.

So she continued, as she stared intently at my grey shirt, "He's just being his usual asshole self…..being mean and nasty like always, but it just really made me mad at myself."

That comment made me ask, "Why?"

She looked up at me with those eyes of hers, "Because at one point in my life I put up with his shit. For some unearthly reason I looked past his B.S. and actually was in love with him…..it just really made me mad."

The anger was evident in her eyes. And when Diana was pissed off she was a pain in the ass. Which combined with her womanly problem, would make her Mrs. Peace Love and Understanding.

I kissed her forehead.

"Why are you always horny?" she asked me.

I kissed her forehead again and looked down in her eyes, "Cause your'a beautiful woman."

"Well you're not getting any until the second day of our honeymoon." She informed me.

I groaned but didn't let go of her, so I teased her, "You might wanna be careful. The sharks'll eat you."

She narrowed her eyes, "You better watch it. I can cut you off entirely on our Honeymoon and take you sight seeing."

It was too horrible to think of.


	10. Chapter 10

Something woke me up.

I didn't know what it was. It was a noise though. Somebody was downstairs. I just knew it, so I sat up and began to slide off the bed. When Diana grabbed my wrist, sleepily she moaned, "Where're you goin?"

"Someone's downstairs," I whispered.

Diana lifted her head from the pillow and looked at me, then the clock which glowed red number 3:13, then back to me, "Hoot come back to bed."

I shook my head and reached for the baseball bat under my bed, right beside my semi automatic rifle.

Diana made a noise, "Hoot! The last time you said someone was downstairs it was just Sanderson stealing ice cream for Humera, and you almost broke his damn arm with that bat."

I stood up, bat in hand, "But I was right. Somebody was down yonder."

She moaned and rolled on her side, "Fine. Go play man of the house, just bring me a Pepsi on your way up."

I didn't understand women.

There could be a man downstairs and she wanted a soda.

Women.

I snuck out of the bedroom and quietly down the stairs in bare feet, the air was really cold on my bareback but I ignored it. There was a soft beeping noise coming from the kitchen.

Bat in hand I made it to the bottom of the steps.

There weren't any shadows.

So I continued on and snuck down the hall, the portable phone was on and in the hall in front of the kitchen. Beeping.

As if it had been off the hook for a while.

As I came around the corner and peeked in the kitchen my heart stopped.

A sickening fear filled me.

Before I knew it I screamed for Diana and ran into the kitchen, dropping the bat along the way, I ran over to McKnight who was on the kitchen floor, on his stomach in his pajamas.

Out cold.

The first thought was, _the man had a heart attack_!

Again I screamed for Diana, feeling for a pulse on his neck. I knew better then to move him. Incase he had fallen and snapped his neck or something.

When I felt his pulse I literally thanked God and then I screamed for her again.

I patted his shoulder, if he were just out cold I tried to wake him. But I didn't shake him or move him, incase it were something worse.

Diana's feet came running across the floor, down the steps and then the hall, when she saw me hunched over her father she screamed and came over.

She dropped beside me and reached for his pulse, "Call 911 Hoot, call 911, hurry!" The fear in her voice broke something inside me. I got up and ran to the phone in the hall as she called out his name over and over.

Trying to wake him as if he were just asleep.

I hit the off and then talk button, then dialed 911, the operators voice came over the line, "911, what's your emergency?"

"It's my father'n'law, he's on'a floor an out. I I think he's hada heart'tack. You you need'a send an ambulance!" I shrieked at the woman, watching as Diana kept her hand on his pulse and watched the microwave clock, counting to herself.

What she was doing I had no idea.

But then the woman on the phone told me, "Sir you need to calm down. Is he alert."

"No woman he's dun out cold! I jus found'em minute ago! He's gotta pulse but I ain't sure what's wrong."

"Hoot!"

I looked to Diana who had rolled McKnight onto his back, she looked up at me, "Toss me a light."

I ignored the operator and grabbed one from the counter, I tossed it down to her and watched as she turned it on and looked in her fathers face. She lifted one of his eyelids, then opened his bottom jaw and looked in his mouth.

"Hurry up!" I screamed at the operator as Diana looked back to me, "Go get me my bag."

I dropped the phone and ran out into the living room.

Diana had a bag for work, a backpack, she kept all her life saving stuff inside of it, I spotted it, grabbed it, and ran back into the kitchen. I dropped it at her side as she told me, "Call the E.R."

She unzipped her bag as I grabbed the phone and hung up on the operator, then dialed the E.R. direct. She pulled out her stethoscope and I gave her the phone, she began to speak in a much calmer voice, "Annette, tell Robert that my father is coming in, he's in the beginning of cardiac arrest, his heart is slowed but not stopped, he might have a partial blockage, have them ready and tell Robert he might need to prep for surgery…..yes, Hoot already called 911…..I'm checking now hold on,"

Diana put the two ear plugs in and slid the cold end of the stethoscope up McKnight's shirt and listened to his heart, she swore and pulled it out, she told the woman something then pulled the blood pressure cuff from her bag. She strapped it on his arm and pumped the round rubber ball up, then let it deflate, again she swore and told the woman McKnight's blood pressure.

Where the hell was the ambulance!

What was taking so damn long!

The 911 place automatically scanned the calls and knew the addresses! Why the hell wasn't the ambulance here yet!

Diana held her hand over his pulse then swore and dropped the phone.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, absolutely terrified McKnight would die.

"His hearts slowing even more. Go go unlock the front door for the paramedics."

I listened and ran for the front door.

It took me three tries before I could remember how to work the locks, then I opened the door just incase, when I ran back into the kitchen Diana had started to do CPR.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note, sorry this chapter is so short! The next one will be longer! Promise!

I hated all waiting rooms.

This one belonged in its own special part of hell. I was seated in a chair that felt like some medieval torture device.

Granted there were two other seats.

A chair in the corner of the room, next to the rack of magazines that held titles such as "Pregnancy", "Highlights", and my personal favorite a 1982 issue of "People" and those were the good magazines. The chair had a spring in the center , which violated me.

The other seat, was on a couch, beside a woman who had a boob job that made Pamela Anderson look modest. This person had a sequined leopard stretchy jogging suit, heels, platinum hair, fire engine red lips, and an Adams apple.

So I remained seated in the chair that realigned my spine.

But that was not the worst part, oh no.

No, no, no.

The TV was on some Spanish soap, which I didn't mind, from my limited Spanish I got that Juan was seeing Anita while sleeping with her cousin Benny, scandalous!

There was a small couch full of teenage girls, apparently their slumber party had gotten a little crazy. Some girl named Kimberly was in the E.R. with a concussion. I didn't even want to know. The pack of them giggled amongst themselves and pointed at me. I really wished I had worn a shirt, they were annoying.

Then there was a honeymooning couple. The best part of the waiting room. The bride had given her husband whip wounds. From what I overheard of their conversation she had surprised him with her kinky habits.

When the waiting room door opened and Sanderson came in I was beyond relieved! Humera followed him with a bag of pretzels in one hand and a Gatorade in the other. She plopped right down beside the person dressed in animal skin.

Sanderson came over to me and I stood up, he looked at me with all the concern a friend would have, "Are you all right? What happened?"

I just told him, "McKnight…we think he had'a heart thing. Dunno. Diana is in there with'im."

Sanderson didn't hug me other anything cheesy like that, he patted my shoulder and asked, "Anything I can do?"

I shook my head, "Nah. He dun went up in surgery, Diana is up there with'im. It's just a wait an see thing now."

My friend nodded then checked his watch, "Look Hoot, you've been here three hours. This could take a while. Why don't you go back to your house, shower, change, get some clothes for Diana and pick up some breakfast? I'll stay here and if anything happens I'll give you a call?"

I hesitated.

But he was right, there was no telling how long then surgery would take, or how long I would have to wait before I was allowed to see him. So I nodded, "A'ight. You want somethin?"

Sanderson thought about it, then jerked his head toward his wife, who was eating a handful of pretzels. "Take Humera with you. She didn't get a chance to eat breakfast of get something to do."

I nodded but told him, "If something happens just make sure Diana ain't alone. A'ight?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Sanderson assured me.

Right.

I gave my friend a smack on the arm in thanks and then headed towards the door, "Humera, you hungry?"

The pregnant woman quickly rose and waved to Sanderson who was looking round the waiting room at the seating situation.


	12. Chapter 12

The damn woman was a pain in the ass.

First she was hot, then she was cold, then she was hungry, then she wasn't, and then she lost her temper with me cause the seat in the jeep wasn't soft enough for her.

I hit the _Wagon Wheel_ for some oatmeal for her and an egg sandwich for me. I was starved and she was just as hungry. Thank God they didn't have a no shirt no service rule. But then again, it was North Georgia.

I paid for the breakfast and walked out into the dark parking lot and climbed in the jeep where she was playing with the seat, "This is a pain, it hurts my back."

Somehow she made the sentence seem proper with her accent, but I still was annoyed, I gave her the paper bag, "Well woman, sit yo ass in the back, A'ight. The base ain't that far."

She narrowed her almond eyes.

So I stuck my tongue out at her, as I turned the car on and put it in reverse.

She flipped me off, then flipped the air on. "Damn, it's hot in here, don't tell me your not hot."

I was not about to argue with the woman, as I backed up I muttered, "Its a damn sauna."

I checked both ways before I pulled out onto the curly road as she put the bag of food on the floor, "I'm not hungry."

I didn't dare roll my eyes for fear she'd see me and loose her mind.

Instead I concentrated on the road while she unhooked her belt and messed with her seat. Putting it up and down. For a minute I thought I'd tell her to hook her belt, but then I decided against it.

I came to the one stoplight before the base when she turned the air off, "Damn! It's freaking ice box!"

With a look over at the miserable woman I suggested, "Why ain't you hop in the back? The lights red."

She glared at me.

It scared me.

"Do I look like a damn acrobat to you? Does it look like I can pull a Chinese fire drill? I am almost nine months pregnant Hoot! Just because you're the Godfather to Abdullah, does not mean you can tell me what to do!"

When did I tell her what to do?

I decided to change the subject as the light turned green, "Sanderson finally cave on the name?"

She glared again, "NO! He wants to name our child after a weapon! Can you believe that!"

"No, I was as horrified as you," I lied.

She let out a cry, then crossed her legs, trying to get comfortable. Finally I swore, "Damn woman! You got a problem with the seat?"

She yelled right back, "There is not a inch of damn leg room!"

"A'ight, hold on, first church we come to I'll stop and move your damn seat." I told Sanderson's wife. Who rolled her dark eyes, "This is the Bible Belt Hoot, there is a church every ten feet."

"Yeah yeah," I muttered, sure enough there was a church once the words were out of my mouth, I saw a church. I pulled into it and put the jeep in two parking spots. I then climbed out and literally stomped around the jeep while she got out. "I wanna sit across the back seat. Push that seat up," she told me, pointing to the passenger seat she had been in.

Since I was in the "Mt. Zion Baptist Church parking lot I didn't swear.…out loud.

Inwardly I rattling them off like my serial number, while I pulled the level and pulled the passenger seat up far as it could go for her. Then I helped her in the back seat.

It was then I realized I had crushed my egg sandwich.

"I'm hungry," she told me.

At then I stormed back to the passenger seat and pulled out the crushed bag, I thrust it at her. She then pointed, "Hoot….look at that car."

I turned and saw a little Volvo parked under a streetlamp.

Inside were obviously two kids.

She looked at me, "Well."

"Well what," I demanded, looking back at her.

Humera opened her Styrofoam container of oatmeal, "Well aren't you going to do anything?"

I stared at her, "It is almost dawn. Do I look like the fucking police?"

"Fine. Be that way," she spat.

I turned and looked across the dimly lit parking lot. The Volvo could be my only chance for fun. So I told her, "Give me my flashlight."

With a giggle from her my MagLight was put in my hand. The heavy steel lights that the Feds and Military used, even cops. They were great! They could illuminate outer space probably.

I closed the two doors on the jeep, then headed across the parking lot to the jeep. Pulling my wallet out of my back pocket. Where my military id was kept.

I flicked my flashlight on and saw there were two people inside having a good time.

So I went up to the car and tapped on the driver's window.

Sure enough they looked up, the guy on the girl. He had no style, one hand on her boob like it was a baseball, his other hand was somewhere else. I shone the light in their eyes and flashed my military id, glad the cops were not patrolling the area.

The kids quickly covered themselves up, then the guy rolled down the window, "Yes sir?"

I shone the light in at him, blinding him.

"Do you know this here young man?" I asked her.

She nodded, "Yes sir."

The fact I was topless apparently didn't their minds. So then I asked her, "Are you here of your own free will? Or do I need'a to take him in?"

She quickly shook her head, "No sir, I I I wanna be here."

So then I turned to him, "You cheap bastard, you can't ford a hotel room for this here beautiful young girl? What would her father think?"

"Ummm. Ummm. Well, uh, ummm." Was the young mans answer.

He was clearly the next Einstein.

"A'ight, I'm gonna do you a favor. You take this here young woman home, an I won rest your ass for public indecency. A'ight?"

Both nodded, he quickly climbed off the girl, I watched as they put themselves together and drove out of the church parking lot.

Rather pleased with myself, I headed back to my jeep, where my egg sandwich was waiten for me. I climbed in the jeep, put my light down, and turned to get my sandwich from Humera who was sweating.

She wasn't sweating a little, the woman looked like she was in a sauna! Flushed too. "Damn woman, what's wrong," I asked.

She thought carefully about it then just as carefully told me, "I think….I am having the baby."


End file.
